Dalit Rights Activist and Human Rights Defender

Rajasthan

HRDA has issued an urgent appeal to the National Human Rights Commission of India on April 20th, regarding harassment, attack and intimidation of Dalit Rights Activist and Human Rights Defender.

A nationwide protest was held on April 2, 2018, against the recent Supreme Court’s order on the Scheduled Caste and Schedule Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. It was decided by the participants of the protest to have a meeting and proceed for a rally to the office of the Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) and present a memorandum to him addressed to the President of India. While they were proceeding towards SDM’s office, they were stopped by SDM, police personnel and other authorities. The administration and police asked the protestors to stop the rally as there were counter-protests underway in the near-by areas. The people holding counter protests, mostly from the dominant castes, were in possession of lathis and weapons. Agreeing to the request of the SDM and other authorities, with the intention to contribute towards maintaining law and order, the members of dalit organisations and others gathered in support of them submitted the memorandum to the SDM at the same place.

On their return, a mob suddenly started attacking them in the presence of police troops and officers deputed on duty. All the protestors started running back to the place where they had held meeting before starting the rally, but the violent mob chased them to the place and continued to attack them. The police personnel did not take any action to stop the attack on the peaceful protestors, even when the violent mob crossed the Phalodi police station. The mob had also vandalised a Dalit human rights defender Mr. Dheraram’s house at Indira colony, Phalodi. In an immediate response to the targeted violence, members of Dalit organisations submitted eight complaints to the police against the violent mob and returned back to their individual villages with police protection. Later false and fabricated complaints were registered against 46 members of the Dalit community while no action was taken on the complaint filed by Dalit organisations.

HRDA prayed for thorough investigation and to take immediate actions on the perpetrators of the case.